Out of Office: What Big Bird Taught Me About Travel

This post is part of a series in which LinkedIn Influencers and members share their business travel advice and stories from life on the road. Read all the posts here.

The irony is not lost on me that I was on a plane when I first saw “Up In the Air.” As the opening montage flashed before me, I thought, “I can identify every single airport they’ve shown.” Actually, I can do one better than that: I can probably tell you the best restaurant in every airport in that movie.

I fly a lot for my job. With over 350 member stations in every community across the country, my job at PBS requires a lot of time traveling. So far I’ve been to all but four states; two I am visiting over the next six months leaving only South Dakota and Hawaii. I’ve also travelled overseas quite a bit, as PBS America has launched in the UK and there are many public broadcasters around the globe with whom we collaborate.

So what have I learned, from all that time in the air? Actually, a better question to ask would be: What have I learned from PBS that has made me a better traveler?

Although my official title is President and CEO of PBS, I think my business cards should also read “Big Bird’s Ambassador.” For most people, their deepest and most lasting connection to our work is our children’s programming. I usually keep an extra Sesame Street toy in my carry on, to hand to fussy toddlers or their frazzled parents. But traveling as Big Bird’s ambassador has led to a more important outcome: I try to never give in to feeling cranky or tired, because I feel like I’d be letting Big Bird down. I’ve met some really interesting people, and heard very interesting stories, because Bert and Ernie and Elmo and Cookie Monster create an instant connection.

I once was traveling to Florida, and was seated next to a young woman who was clearly terrified of flying. The CEO in me wanted to turn on my laptop and catch up on emails. But I knew Big Bird wouldn’t approve. And so I struck up a conversation with her, and kept it up through the whole flight. Just before we landed, she turned to me and asked my name. She thanked me for spending the whole flight talking to her, because she had been so scared. When she heard my name was Paula, she gasped, and said, “That was my mom’s name- and I feel like she was with me today as a guardian angel on this flight.”

There have been many lessons learned over my years of travel. For one- all of Texas does not look the same- it only looks the same if you’ve been circling the Amarillo airport for over an hour preparing for a landing without operational landing gear. (We made it that time, too). And the best airport food, hands down, is BBQ in the Memphis airport.

But the biggest lesson I’ve learned has been far more personal. For so many people, PBS has been a window to a wider world. From nature shows that take viewers to the wildest spots on earth to travel documentaries like Brazil with Michael Palin, we strive to offer content that opens up new vistas for everyone. But for me, traveling on behalf of PBS has opened up new possibilities because it allows me to get out from behind my desk and laptop and connect with people. And that has made all the difference. I firmly believe that no matter what business you are in, it matters a great deal to truly understand your customer or, in my case, the people we serve. Although technology can link us together, nothing replaces the time spent face to face with people in their communities.

After hundreds of thousands of miles in the air, in that public television tradition, I am still striving to learn. So, tell me what is your best travel tip?

Photo: Andriy BONDAREV/Shutterstock